Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Awareness”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 505 records · Page 28Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

I like it, but I'm not sure why: can evaluative conditioning occur without conscious awareness?

There is good evidence that, in general, autonomic conditioning in humans occurs only when subjects can verbalize the contingencies of conditioning. However, one form of conditioning, evaluative conditioning (EC), seems exceptional in that a growing body of evidence suggests that it can occur without conscious contingency awareness. As such, EC offers a unique insight into what role contingency awareness might play in associative learning. Despite this evidence, there are reasons to doubt that evaluative conditioning can occur without conscious awareness. This paper aims to critically review the EC literature and to draw some parallels to what is known about autonomic conditioning. In doing so, some important general issues about measuring contingency awareness are raised. These issues are illustrated with a brief report of an experiment in which a sensitive measure of contingency awareness is compared against a commonly used measure.

Autonomic Nervous System↗
PubMed1996

Awareness of physiological responding under stress and nonstress conditions in temporomandibular disorders.

To test the hypothesis that individuals with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) have deficits in proprioceptive awareness, 20 TMD patients were compared with 20 nonpain individuals matched to the TMD patients on age and gender. Left and right frontalis, masseter, and temporalis were monitored, as were forearm extensor, heart rate, and skin conductance while the participants viewed a nonstressful film segment. Following the film segment, participants provided self-reports of these physiological responses. This sequence was repeated for a second, stressful film segment and for a third, non-stressful film segment. Correlations between physiological activity and self-report were used as measures of proprioceptive awareness. The results indicated that TMD subjects were most accurate in their awareness of facial muscle activity during the stress condition and least accurate in the two nonstress periods. Control subjects increased their accuracy of awareness at each time period, showing significantly greater accuracy than the TMD group in the last, nonstress period. TMD subjects more accurately perceived activity of the nonfacial muscle variables in the two nonstress periods than during the stress period. These findings may provide a mechanism for understanding clinical observations showing that TMD patients with myofascial pain engage in high levels of parafunctional oral activity without awareness.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Awareness of brain death and organ transplantation among high school children.

The objective of this study was to assess the awareness of the concepts of brain death and organ transplantation among high school children. One hundred and eighty eight students of class 12th of a reputed public school were studied. Structured questionnaires were used to assess their knowledge in various aspects of brain death and organ transplantation. Following the questionnaire, they were provided with educational information on brain death and organ transplantation. This was followed by similar questionnaires to assess any change in awareness of brain death and organ transplantation. Results spoke of widespread awareness and acceptance of organ transplantation in the high school children. However, the awareness of various aspects of brain death was quite low. There was significant increase in awareness and acceptance of brain death after educating the students. Education about various aspects of brain death, its immense importance for organ donation and legality of brain death needs to be highlighted.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Assessment of radiation dose awareness among pediatricians.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing awareness among pediatric radiologists of the potential risks associated with ionizing radiation in medical imaging. However, it is not known whether there has been a corresponding increase in awareness among pediatricians. OBJECTIVE: To establish the level of awareness among pediatricians of the recent publicity on radiation risks in children, knowledge of the relative doses of radiological investigations, current practice regarding parent/patient discussions, and the sources of educational input. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multiple-choice survey. RESULTS: Of 220 respondents, 105 (48%) were aware of the 2001 American Journal of Roentgenology articles on pediatric CT and radiation, though only 6% were correct in their estimate of the quoted lifetime excess cancer risk associated with radiation doses equivalent to pediatric CT. A sustained or transient increase in parent questioning regarding radiation doses had been noticed by 31%. When estimating the effective doses of various pediatric radiological investigations in chest radiograph (CXR) equivalents, 87% of all responses (and 94% of CT estimates) were underestimates. Only 15% of respondents were familiar with the ALARA principle. Only 14% of pediatricians recalled any relevant formal teaching during their specialty training. The survey response rate was 40%. CONCLUSION: Awareness of radiation protection issues among pediatricians is generally low, with widespread underestimation of relative doses and risks.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed2001

One-year followup on the impact of a sun awareness curriculum on medical students' knowledge, attitudes, and behavior.

BACKGROUND: A one-week sun awareness curriculum was developed at the University of Western Ontario to educate first-year medical students on skin cancer risks and prevention. OBJECTIVE: To assess the retention of knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral practices one year after receiving education in sun awareness. METHOD: Three surveys were administered: before, immediately after the sun awareness teaching, and one year later. Actual practiced behavior in the past year was compared with the intended behavior. RESULTS: Half as many sunburns were reported in the year following the sun awareness curriculum compared with the previous year. Medical students demonstrated a good retention of the knowledge learned a year earlier. However, many students still believed that a tanned appearance looks healthy. While there was intent to adopt more healthy behavior after the curriculum, the actual behavior practiced varied. CONCLUSIONS: An undergraduate medical curriculum on sun awareness can be effective in improving the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of future physicians.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Oral cancer knowledge and awareness: primary and secondary effects of an information leaflet.

Information leaflets can be stored and read several times at the patient's own convenience and speed and, therefore, might contribute to increasing the long-term oral cancer knowledge and awareness. This hypothesis was investigated in a sample of adults living in a small central Italian town. The two groups of patients selected (Intervention, 100 subjects; Control, 84 subjects) were all aged 40 years and had never received oral cancer counselling or examination previously. Subjects completed a questionnaire (PRE) containing items regarding oral cancer epidemiology and prevention. Thereafter, the Intervention patients received the oral cancer information leaflet. One year later, patients from both groups were re-contacted and most (97 Intervention, 79 Control subjects, overall participation rate, 95.7%) completed the same questionnaire (POST). The POST questionnaire score, the score increment and the proportion of patients who sought an oral cancer examination during the year follow-up were used as markers of long-term knowledge, knowledge improvement and awareness, respectively. The between group differences in mean PRE score, POST score, score increment and proportion of subjects who had an examination were assessed by conventional statistical tests. The effect of leaflet corrected for confounders also was assessed using multiple regression analyses. No difference in PRE score and awareness was found. However, the mean POST score and the score increment were significantly higher in the Intervention group. The leaflet significantly increased knowledge but not awareness, with statistically significant effects from high educational level and younger age. It is concluded that the information leaflet had a significant effect in raising the long-term oral cancer knowledge in the general public. It also had a secondary effect on disease awareness in the locale.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Awareness and use of community walking trails.

BACKGROUND: Community trail development is an emerging strategy to increase physical activity (PA) among community residents. The purpose of this study was to assess awareness and use of trails and compare perceptions to objective data. METHODS: A telephone survey was administered to a stratified sample of adults (N = 1,112) in a southeastern county in the United States. Respondents' home addresses and the locations of trails were entered into a GIS database. A kappa statistic was used to measure agreement between awareness and presence of trails. Differences in reported trail use patterns by sex, race, education, and PA levels were evaluated. RESULTS: There was no agreement between the awareness and presence of trails (kappa = 0.07). Fifty-six percent of the respondents reported having trails; however, only 33% reported using the trails. Of the trail users, 42% reported being regularly active in moderate-to-vigorous PA (30+ min/day for 5+ days/week), and 51% reported being less active (P < 0.003). Among walkers (> or =30 min/day for > or =5 days/week), 49% of regular walkers and 35% of irregular walkers (< walkers) reported using the trails (P < 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of existing trails in this community and levels of use were low. Marketing programs should promote awareness and use of trails among older adults and irregularly active adults.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

A computer education program to improve physician awareness of rehabilitation hospital charges.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify physician knowledge of hospital charges and determine if computer fiscal feedback would improve physician awareness of hospital charges. DESIGN: Comparison of physicians' knowledge of hospital charges before and 6 months after the instigation of a computer feedback educational program. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: All physicians (attendings, residents, and fellows) at a large academic rehabilitation hospital. INTERVENTION: After surveying physicians' knowledge of hospital charges, the billing fees for some items were placed on the computer ordering menu so that these charges were viewed when orders were made by physicians. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Error in physician charge estimates before and after computer education program, and physician confidence in charge estimates. RESULTS: The baseline survey found that physicians had poor awareness of hospital charges, regardless of ordering frequency, relative charge for the item, or physician experience. Physicians expressed little confidence in their knowledge of the charges and were twice as likely to underestimate than to overestimate charges. Six months after the implementation of a computer feedback educational program, improvement was seen in the awareness of hospital charges for all imaging studies and most laboratory tests. Fiscal awareness of items that had not been included in the computer feedback also showed some small improvement. Physicians' confidence in their knowledge of fees improved. Physicians indicated the program was beneficial and should be expanded to include fiscal information on more services. CONCLUSIONS: Immediate computer feedback of hospital charges improves physicians' fiscal awareness and may lead to their practice of more cost-efficient medicine.

Computer-Assisted Instruction↗
PubMed2002

'Entering a New World': empathic awareness as the key to positive family/staff relationships in care homes.

Despite an almost universal policy of community care, placing a relative in a care home will be an increasingly common event as population ageing continues. Studies suggest that most families wish to remain involved in care following placement but that they often experience difficulties in establishing relationships with staff. This paper reports on the fifth phase of a Swedish study exploring the experience of placement from a temporal perspective and including the views of all the key actors (relatives, staff in the community, staff in care homes). The focus here is placed on the perceptions of care home staff and their perceived role in relation to spouses who have recently placed a partner. The study adopted a grounded theory approach and data were collected from in-depth interviews with 16 staff members of varying grades and positions. Analysis of the data suggested 3 levels of awareness amongst staff: empathic awareness, guarded awareness and limited awareness. The characteristics of empathic awareness are outlined and its implications briefly considered.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed2003

The relationship between auditory temporal processing, phonemic awareness, and reading disability.

Recent research suggests an auditory temporal deficit as a possible contributing factor to poor phonemic awareness skills. This study investigated the relationship between auditory temporal processing of nonspeech sounds and phonological awareness ability in children with a reading disability, aged 8-12 years, using Tallal's tone-order judgement task. Normal performance on the tone-order task was established for 36 normal readers. Forty-two children with developmental reading disability were then subdivided by their performance on the tone-order task. Average and poor tone-order subgroups were then compared on their ability to process speech sounds and visual symbols, and on phonological awareness and reading. The presence of a tone-order deficit did not relate to performance on the order processing of speech sounds, to poorer phonological awareness or to more severe reading difficulties. In particular, there was no evidence of a group by interstimulus interval interaction, as previously described in the literature, and thus little support for a general auditory temporal processing difficulty as an underlying problem in poor readers. In this study, deficient order judgement on a nonverbal auditory temporal order task (tone task) did not underlie phonological awareness or reading difficulties.

Auditory Perception↗
PubMed2003

Awareness of hypertension and dyslipidemia in a semirural population of young adults: the Bogalusa Heart Study.

BACKGROUND: To assess the awareness of hypertension and dyslipidemia in a semirural population of young adults. METHODS: A cohort of 5,707 individuals was surveyed by a questionnaire. The awareness analysis was done on 1,454 subjects screened for cardiovascular risk factors 5 years earlier. RESULTS: Among the respondents (n = 3,699, 65%), the prevalence of hypertension among blacks and whites was 11% and 7.3% (P < 0.0001), respectively; dyslipidemia, 4.7% and 5.8% (P = 0.27). Results from the screening showed a prevalence of 11.4% in blacks versus 6.0% in whites (P < 0.0001) for hypertension; 14.2% versus 17.9% (P = 0.12) for dyslipidemia. Males had a higher prevalence of dyslipidemia than females (24% vs. 12%, P = 0.001). Five years later, among those informed of their hypertension, males were more likely to be aware of their hypertension than females [odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 5.0 (1.4-17.5)]. Increasing age [1.04 (1.0-1.1)], positive parental history of coronary heart disease [2.6 (1.5-4.3)], and higher education level [2.1 (1.2-33.6)] were associated with the awareness of dyslipidemia. Awareness of the condition increased the proportion of subjects receiving treatment for hypertension, but did not change the proportion receiving treatment for dyslipidemia. CONCLUSIONS: These results underscore the need for cardiovascular health education efforts in this population group.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Phasic alerting of neglect patients overcomes their spatial deficit in visual awareness.

Patients with extensive damage to the right hemisphere of their brain often exhibit unilateral neglect of the left side of space. The spatial attention of these patients is strongly biased towards the right, so their awareness of visual events on the left is impaired. Extensive right-hemisphere lesions also impair tonic alertness (the ability to maintain arousal). This nonspatial deficit in alertness is often considered to be a different problem from spatial neglect, but the two impairments may be linked. If so, then phasically increasing the patients' alertness should temporarily ameliorate their spatial bias in awareness. Here we provide evidence to support this theory. Right-hemisphere-neglect patients judged whether a visual event on the left preceded or followed a comparable event on the right. They became aware of left events half a second later than right events on average. This spatial imbalance in the time course of visual awareness was corrected when a warning sound alerted the patients phasically. Even a warning sound on the right accelerated the perception of left visual events in this way. Nonspatial phasic alerting can thus overcome disabling spatial biases in perceptual awareness after brain injury.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1999

Glaucoma awareness and screening uptake in relatives of people with glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To assess glaucoma awareness and screening uptake in relatives of people with glaucoma. METHODS: A questionnaire was administered to 52 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. They were asked about their awareness of glaucoma clustering within families, and the need for glaucoma screening in relatives of glaucoma patients. Patients were asked to identify one or more first-degree relatives, aged over 40 years and thus eligible for free glaucoma screening in the United Kingdom. These relatives were mailed a similar questionnaire. In performing the statistical analysis we corrected for possible clustering within families. The study was approved in advance by our local ethics committee, and all participants were informed of the United Kingdom's free screening service afterwards. RESULTS: Ninety relatives were identified, of whom 70 (78%) returned questionnaires. Only 53% of responding relatives thought they were at increased lifetime risk of developing glaucoma. Though 81% of relatives had been screened, many were screened infrequently. We compared the responses of patients' siblings and patients' offspring. Perceived lifetime glaucoma risk was similar in the two groups, but the (older) siblings had a significantly lower awareness of the free screening service (p = 0.03) and attended for screening less frequently (p = 0.07). Uptake of regular, free glaucoma screening at least every 2 years was 57% among offspring and 30% among siblings (p = 0.005). Because of selection bias (good communicators were more likely to be invited to participate) the true rates of glaucoma awareness and screening uptake are almost certainly lower than this. CONCLUSIONS: Relatives of people with glaucoma should be made more aware of the need for glaucoma screening and encouraged to use the free screening service. Older relatives should be particularly targeted.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

An alarming lack of public awareness towards oral cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To determine public awareness and knowledge of oral cancer in Great Britain. DESIGN: The respondents were selected according to a systematic probability sample designed to be representative of all adults in Great Britain (GB). The overall design was similar to previous omnibus surveys carried out by National Opinion Poll (NOP). The survey was carried out in ten regions of GB in September 1995 and was commissioned by the Health Education Authority (HEA). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A random sample of 1,894 members of the public over the age of 16 years were asked in face-to-face interviews their knowledge relating to cancer, with particular reference to oral cancer, its causes and those at high risk and general attitudes to cancer. RESULTS: Oral cancer was one of the least heard of cancers by the public with only 56% of the participants being aware, whereas 96% had heard of skin cancer, 97% lung cancer and 86% cervical cancer. There was a 76% awareness of the link between smoking and oral cancer but only 19% were aware of its association with alcohol misuse. Whereas 94% agreed that early detection can improve the treatment outcome, a disheartening 43% believed that whether a person developed a cancer or not was a matter of chance and therefore was unavoidable. CONCLUSIONS: This survey highlights a general lack of awareness among the public about mouth cancer and a lack of knowledge about its causation especially the excess risk associated with alcohol. RECOMMENDATIONS: There is a clear need to inform and educate the public in matters relating to the known risk factors associated with oral cancer. A media campaign informing the public about oral cancer is clearly required. The need for the reduction in the incidence of oral cancer should be included in 'Our healthier nation' targets. An overall health promotion strategy to reduce cancers should include oral cancer as a priority. In addition the European Code against Cancer which aims to improve prevention, the early detection of oral cancer and the necessity for fast track referral should be made more widely known. Recognition of oral cancer in local strategies for oral health should be encouraged.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Poor patient awareness of the relationship between smoking and periodontal diseases.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate patients' knowledge of the effects of smoking on periodontal health. DESIGN: Patient answered questionnaires, which were anonymous. SETTING: Patients who attended GKT Dental Institute, King's College, London for dental treatment. SUBJECTS: One thousand patients attending Restorative Consultant Clinics and Primary Dental Care. RESULTS: Seventy-eight per cent of patients were aware that smoking had a negative impact on health. However, 52% of these patients who were aware could not state what the negative effects were on oral health. Seven per cent of patients stated that smoking affected the gums but did not state how it affected the gums. Only 6% of respondents knew specifically of the link between smoking and periodontal disease. The only statistically significant factors associated with increased awareness were smoking status, ie being a non-smoker and being registered with a general dental practitioner. Non-smokers and those registered with GDPs were more likely to be aware of the association between smoking and periodontal diseases. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights patients' lack of awareness of the relationship between smoking and periodontal diseases, with only 6% of respondents knowing of the link between tobacco and periodontal diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

General dental practitioners' perceptions of the West of Scotland Cancer Awareness Programme oral cancer campaign.

OBJECTIVES: The 2003/04 West of Scotland Cancer Awareness Programme (WoSCAP) oral cancer campaign was designed to raise public awareness of the signs and symptoms of oral cancer. The objectives of this study were to explore general dental practitioners' (GDPs) awareness and perceptions of the campaign, and its impact on local dental practices. METHODS: A self-completing questionnaire was sent to GDPs in the West of Scotland (N = 983) at the conclusion of the public awareness campaign. RESULTS: A response rate of 68.6% was achieved. Most dentists (92%) had heard of the campaign and a large percentage had displayed the promotional materials in their practice. The majority of respondents rated the campaign materials, including a television advertisement, in a very positive manner. Over 40% of dentists reported that, during the active phase of the campaign, patients had asked for information concerning the programme, and 66% indicated that registered patients had asked for advice regarding a specific lesion. Additionally, 41% of dentists reported non-registered patients had attended asking for advice regarding a 'worrying' lesion. Over 60% of dentists had referred a patient during the campaign and 40% of these practitioners indicated an increased referral rate during this period. CONCLUSIONS: Most respondents were positive in their assessment of the campaign and reported an increased awareness of oral cancer among patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Hypertension awareness and control in an inner-city African-American sample.

African-Americans in the US are at high risk for hypertension-related morbidity and mortality. The majority of African-Americans live in central city areas, and lower socioeconomic status and health care utilization patterns have been hypothesized to contribute to higher blood pressure (BP) levels and poorer control of treated hypertension in this group. In order to plan an intervention to improve hypertension care for inner city African-Americans in Houston, Texas, we conducted a baseline survey of residents in 12 low-income ZIP code areas with a > 70% African-American population to determine the level of hypertension awareness, treatment and control, and associated sociodemographic, health care utilization, and medication compliance variables. Subjects were recruited to attend a BP measurement and assessment of knowledge, attitudes and behaviors through random digit phone dialing in the target ZIP code areas. Of the 962 subjects examined, 433 (45%) were hypertensive (systolic BP > or = 140 mm Hg or diastolic pressure > or = 90 mm Hg or taking antihypertensive medication). Among all hypertensives, 73% were aware, 64% were on treatment, and 28% were controlled to 140/90 mm Hg. Of hypertensives on treatment, 43% were controlled to 140/90 mm Hg, but 72% were controlled using the criterion of 160/95 mm Hg, and 75% were controlled using a diastolic pressure < 90 mm Hg only. These results are similar to those reported for African-Americans in the most recent US national health survey. Males were less likely to be aware, receiving treatment and controlled than were females. Although lack of awareness was associated with less frequent BP measurement, 77% of those unaware reported a measurement within the past 2 years. The majority of aware hypertensives reported frequent physician contact and high compliance with medication. We conclude that intervention to improve hypertension control in this population should focus on ensuring that health providers diagnose BP and establish treatment goals based on the current standard of 140/90 mm Hg.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

A validity study of an implicit phonological awareness paradigm.

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the validity of a nonsense-word-pairs paradigm as an implicit phonological awareness task. For this task one member of each nonsense-word-pair violated the rules of consonant combination in English (e.g., /integral kib/), and the other did not (e.g., /integral rib/). The subjects were required to choose the member of the pair that contained permissible consonant sequence(s). Eighty-one normally developing first- and second-graders were given the implicit phonological awareness task, 3 explicit phonological awareness tasks, 2 reading tasks, and a multisyllabic word production task. There were significant correlations between the implicit phonological awareness task and all of the experimental tasks, with the exception of one. Additionally, the implicit phonological awareness task was sensitive to developmental differences between the first- and second-grade readers.

Child↗